In our last blog we discussed how Pinterest is changing the game relative to social selling and e-commerce. Our friends at Hubspot (www.hubspot.com) have put together 10 infographics that illuminate everything possible about Pinterest. Well maybe not everything, but just about. Here is a peak at infographic numero uno.
In our previous discussions about Pinterest, we discussed why the easy to use site was growing like a weed and attracting new users at an incredible rate. For a quick refresher, Pinterest is a pinboard-style socialphoto sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies, and more. Users can browse other pinboards for inspiration, ‘re-pin’ images to their own collections and/or ‘like’ photos. Pinterest’s mission is to “connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting” via a global platform of inspiration and idea sharing. Pinterest allows its users to share ‘pins’ on both Twitter and Facebook, which allows users to share and interact with a broad community. (Information sourced from Wikipedia)
Here is a brief tutorial to get you started.
Pinterest is now the 3rd most popular social network site in the world, and ecommerce stores can leverage its popularity to significantly increase traffic and sales, according to Shopify. Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows individuals and businesses to create online stores. They have over 25,000 on-line merchants using their platform. Nice sample size 🙂
Merchants care about moving product, making money and driving customer loyalty. They want us to buy stuff. Pinterest started as a pin board but now many of those pins come with price tags that enable you to click and buy the item you might be pinterested in (See what I did there). Here are a couple of examples.
So all you have to do is click on the price and you are taken to the site where you can purchase the item. Do people do this? You bet they do. Check this out.
$80 bucks per average order. More than all of the big players. Impressive.
“Call Me Maybe” is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, taken from her first EP, Curiosity (2012). After pop singersJustin Bieber and Selena Gomez tweeted about the song, Jepsen gained international attention and got signed to Schoolboy Records, releasing her single in the United States through the label. “Call Me Maybe” is an upbeat pop track that draws influences from dance-pop and disco. Lyrically, the track alludes to the inconvenience that a love at first sight brings to a girl who hopes for a call back from a crush.
With You Tube anyone can make their own video and hope for it to go viral. Well the Harvard Baseball team has done just that. On a road trip to play an away game, the Harvard boys had a little fun and recorded their version of “Call Me Maybe”. They have had over 8 million views. Well done Harvard!
Going out to have a drink with a friend or family member, always an enjoyable time. Meeting friends at a pub for dinner, some music, a good laugh, awesome. But how would you feel if you were being recorded without your knowledge and that advancing facial recognition software could identify you without your permission?
So here is the situation – You and a friend walk into a neighborhood bar, order a cocktail, and, unbeknownst to you both, a camera above is scanning your faces to determine your age and gender. Your details are then combined with data on other bar patrons and then made available via a mobile application for users trolling for a good-time venue with the right genetic make-up.
SceneTap is a maker of cameras that pick up on facial characteristics to determine a person’s approximate age and gender. The company works with venues to install these cameras and track customers. It also makes web and mobile applications that allow random observers to find out, in real-time, the male-to-female ratio, crowd size, and average age of a bar’s patrons. And there is no way to avoid it if you are there.
Launched in Chicago last July, SceneTap is now live in seven markets, including San Francisco and Austin, and has tracked more than 8.5 million people at 400 partner venues. Bamboo Hut, Bar None, milk bar, The Abassador, Fluid Ultra Lounge and 20 other San Francisco locations now have the i-spy cameras in place.
SceneTap promises that all data is collected anonymously and that nothing is recorded or stored. For nightlife-lovers, it’s a fail-proof way to get a preview of a bar or club. Venues can offer specials, and are given tools to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. Marketing measurement at its finest.
Is this over the line for you? We all know that privacy went out the window a long time ago, but now this?
In the case of Foursquare, for example, the consumer is in charge. You decide whether you want to share this information or not. With SceneTap, the consumer has no say in the matter. Walk into one of these bars and you’re being digitally sized up — and there’s nothing you can do about it. What happens when they start to capture additional personal information such as height, weight, ethnicity, or wealth?
An all time classic funny movie is Arthur. The film starred Dudley Moore as the eponymous Arthur Bach, a drunken New York City millionaire who is on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, but ends up falling for a common working-class girl from Queens. Hobson, Arthur’s butler was played by Sir John Gielgud. Throughout the movie, Hobson banters in a great way with Arthur. Here is one of their classic exchanges:
Arthur: Hobson? Hobson: Yes. Arthur: Do you know what I’m going to do? Hobson: No, I don’t. Arthur: I’m going to take a bath. Hobson: I’ll alert the media. Arthur: [rises] Do you want to run my bath for me? Hobson: That’s what I live for.
Well how about the media alerting you to great deals available on products that you are interested in purchasing. Now that would be cool. Well it is here now.
Digital Folio is a web-wide shopping application that functions as a browser add-on for Firefox and Internet Explorer; it also has mobile and Facebook versions. The application appears as a sidebar within the browser and lets shoppers make shopping lists by simply dragging a product’s link into the sidebar. These shopping lists have real time price updates which can be tracked while shopping.
More interesting is the application’s Price Compare feature. When a listing or product page is visited with Price Compare open (currently only available for Amazon, Best Buy, Sears, Target, and Walmart) it will automatically populate any eligible products into the sidebar and the retailer with the lowest price is highlighted. (This insight was sourced from our friends at www.retailnetgroup.com)
These capabilities are getting better all the time. More cash in our pockets. Now that is a good thing 🙂
When it comes to getting the best price, consumers have never had it better. Technology has enabled so many comparison sites, applications and the like that the consumer can always find a better price.
In the UK, grocery shopping has escalated to an unprecedented level of price comparison shopping. mySupermarket allows you to compare prices across the largest Grocery and Health & Beauty stores in the UK. You’re guaranteed to find the best prices, all the offers and the best value.
It’s up to you how you use the site: You can order your basket online, print your basket as a shopping list and take it with you to your local supermarket or simply just compare different supermarket prices online.
Unit pricing is available on all products, and once a product is added to the basket the user will be prompted to Swap & Save–two smaller bottles that are on sale for less than a bigger bottle which is typically cheaper, for example. While the shopper initially chooses a retailer, a running tally of their basket at the other major grocers is always visible on the right of the site. If the basket is cheaper at another retailer, it can be transferred with one click. Once shopping is complete, users can checkout at their chosen retailer by putting in their account information. Pricing information and inventory are updated daily according to your local stores.
We compare prices regularly because we are very frugal shoppers, always looking for the best deal and we have technology that enables these comparisons in real time. It is just inevitable that this capability will be available in the US shortly. Can’t wait 🙂
More ways to save your money in our next post. Stay tuned.
I have played fantasy baseball for many years. For those that may not be aware of what fantasy baseball is, here is the definition from Wikipedia:
Fantasy baseball is a game where participants manage an imaginary roster of real Major League baseball players. The participants compete against one another using those players’ real life statistics to score points. It can be very time-intensive due to the 162-game season of the MLB and the inconsistency of players. So you are a real team manager, able to make all of the rosters moves you want, make trades, bench players etc. In our league, we set our rosters only once per week, on Sunday, and hope that no one gets hurt on a Monday as you cannot adjust your roster until the next week. Those of us participate because:
We love baseball
We like the camaraderie
It keeps us up to speed with all of baseball and not just your favorite teams
We love talking smack
Every league has a chat board where the managers discuss everything from how their teams are doing, pumping up their players in an effort to trade them, sharing the most mundane of baseball facts and statistics and my favorite part, poking a little fun at the other managers.
This season has already seen some incredible posts so I wanted to share with you the one thread that still has me laughing out loud. It is between three managers – Who Ate My Cheese, Lost on the Beach and MDC or Musique Du Chin. (Chin music of course. I did not originate this name but after the statute of limitations was up, borrowed the name for my team). Here comes the thread – I am still laughing out loud about it – Chinteresting 🙂
CHEESE – I came across this story today on MSN, and I thought it had a hint of MDC in it.
LOST – For the record, The Arena Baseball League has a very strict policy against Performance Enhancing Chins (PECs). We have received some information regarding MDC’s off season trip to the Dominican Republic and we are vigorously investigating the matter to see if there is any impropriety. There have been some strong concerns about this recent photo of the Chin in his team’s media guide:
A younger version of the Webman! Oh that Chin 🙂
LOST – I can’t stop laughing. I think I just spit coffee out my nose. Maybe my favorite post ever!
CHEESE – He could bunt with that chin. Unfair advantage. Point deduction demanded. Ohh the Chinsanity.
MDC – Now that is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I will need to check Ancestry.com to see if I am related to Bill Cowher, best chin of all time.
So there you have it. This is my main reason for playing fantasy baseball. These guys are just flat out funny.
Last of a series for this week. So far we have looked at a number of interesting consumer etail trends plus solutions from eBay, Paypal and Facebook. Today we will take a look at some other solutions from American Express.
But first, our final song of the week with Revolution in the title:
“Revolution rock, it is a brand new rock – A bad, bad rock, this here revolution rock – Careful how you move, Mac, you dig me in me back – And I’m so pilled up that I rattle – I have got the sharpest knife – So I cut the biggest slice – I have no time to do battle
Everybody smash up your seats – And rock to this brand new beat – This here music mash up the nation – This here music cause a sensation -Tell your ma, tell your pa – Everything’s gonna be all right – Can’t you feel it? – Don’t ignore it – Gonna be alright
Revolution rock, I am in a state of shock – So bad, bad rock, this here revolution rock – Careful how you slide, Clyde, all you did was glide – And you poured your beer in me hat – With my good eye on the beat, living on fixation street – I ain’t got no time for that ‘
Take a look at what American Express is doing in social, letting cardmembers sync their cards with Foursquare,Twitter and Facebook. When American Express card holders sync their cards with Foursquare, they receive location-based deals and offers directly to their AmEx cards. Those who sync their card with Facebook, as part of the “Link Like Love” program, see deals in their newsfeed on Facebook, based on which companies they talk about and like. Consumers that sync their cards with Twitter, get savings loaded directly to their cards when they tweet using special-offer hashtags. The “Link Like Love” program lets brands and retailers tie sales back to efforts on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, using the AmEx application programming interface.
Who doesn’t love a good deal? Twitter and American Express have partnered to offer special deals, discounts and coupons in 140-characters or less. If you’re an AMEX customer and a Twitter user, you’ve got $$ savings at your fingertips.
Visit sync.americanexpress.com/twitter to sync your AMEX card with your Twitter account. Then, you just have to tweet merchant-specific hashtags to load up coupon-less deals onto your card, which will become active the next time you shop at that particular merchant. AMEX cardholders will see the coupon applied as a discount to their statement within days.
American Express® Cardmembers across the country can discover exclusive specials on foursquare. Connect any eligible Amex Card to your foursquare account today for couponless, hassle-free savings. #1 – SYNC: Go to sync.americanexpress.com & securely connect your Card to foursquare to find exclusive Amex specials at foursquare venues.
In our continuing series, today we will look at more very cool stuff that is making mobile etailing huge.
In keeping with the theme however, we continue with songs that include the word Revolution:
‘Yeah – Well you can bump and grind – It is good for your mind – Well you can twist and shout let it all hang out – But you won’t fool the children of the revolution – No you won’t fool the children of the revolution, no no no
Well you can tear a plane in the falling rain – I drive rolls royce ‘cos it’s good for my voice – But you won’t fool the children of the revolution – No you won’t fool the children of the revolution, no no no – yeah! – But you won’t fool the children of the revolution
No you won’t fool the children of the revolution – No you won’t fool the children of the revolution – No you won’t fool the children of the revolution – No way, yeah, wow!”
Yesterday we took a look at game changing solutions from eBay and Paypal. Today, let’s take a look at what Facebook is doing.
Facebook Credits is a payment system that offers a safe, easy and fast way to pay for digital and virtual goods in games and apps across Facebook.
Facebook users trust the Facebook brand and feel comfortable storing their payment information with Facebook and buying with their Facebook credentials.
Facebook Credits is available internationally and supports 80+ payment methods in 50+ countries around the world and we continue to actively expand our footprint.
Finally Facebook credits provides a consistent way for users to buy on Facebook across mobile, desktop, games as well as non-game apps.
Facebook Credits are a virtual currency you can use to buy virtual goods in any games or apps of the Facebook platform that accept payments. You can purchase Facebook Credits directly from within an app using your credit card, PayPal, mobile phone and many other local payment methods.
Facebook announced in February 2012 that it had partnered with a number of the largest mobile operators, including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, T-Mobile USA, Verizon and Vodafone, to enable users to make Facebook Credit purchases via mobile operator billing (i.e. see the charge appear on their mobile phone bill).
The Facebook ecosystem is alive and well and ready for some money.
We covered some incredible growth trends and customer expectations yesterday in The Revolution #1. Today we will look at some of the companies and applications changing the world.
Just to get your day started here is a little diddy:
“Don’t you know – They’re talkin’ bout a revolution – It sounds like a whisper – Don’t you know – They’re talkin’ about a revolution -It sounds like a whisper – While they’re standing in the welfare lines – Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation – Wasting time in the unemployment lines – Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Poor people gonna rise up – And get their share – Poor people gonna rise up – And take what’s theirs – Don’t you know – You better run, run, run – Oh I said you better – Run, run, run”
Take a look at what E-Bay is doing. eBay‘s latest app combines two of America’s favorite pastimes: shopping and watching TV.
Originally a feature of the eBay for iPad app, Watch With eBay debuted as a standalone app that will let viewers browse in real time products related to their favorite TV programs. Fashion buffs, for example, will easily be able to find and shop for clothes made by designers featured at a red carpet event airing live on TV.
This unique live viewing experience is made possible by a zip code-based guide embedded within the app, according to Engadget. PCWorld explains further that Watch With eBay syncs up with your area’s local cable programming schedules, enabling viewers to become consumers with a tap of a finger. The viewer simply chooses the show she’s watching from a list on the app to see available products related to the show.
The new app also offers a feature called Shop Like a Star, which lets TV, film, sports and music fans view and purchase items recommended by their favorite celebrities.
And now check out Paypal. Available to global retailers today, PayPal Access gives consumers the ability to sign up and sign in to participating websites with just their PayPal usernames and passwords. PayPal has more than 100 million accounts in 190 markets worldwide.
Unlike identity solutions currently on the market, PayPal Access provides everything consumers and merchants need to create an account and complete a transaction – including user verification, shipping information, and payment details. By helping retailers simplify login and account creation, PayPal Access can help increase conversion and loyalty on merchants’ websites. Research shows that nearly one out of every four consumers abandon their shopping carts when they’re asked to register an account.
These innovative companies are breaking down the barriers to e-commerce in a huge way. More to come as we further explore this global phenomenon.
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